How to use hinge point questions effectively

An image showing a teacher looking at a plan

Source: © Jamie Jones/Ikon Images

They can help both you and your students learn – but what are hinge questions, and when should you ask them?

Hinge point questions are essential tools in a teacher’s kit. They help you identify what your students have learned and what they need help with. Asking the right questions at the right times can provide you with a lot of information about both individual students and the class as a whole and help you improve and develop your lesson plans. This article will help you use them and plan your next move depending on your students’ answers.

Thanks for using Education in Chemistry. You can view one Education in Chemistry article per month as a visitor. 

A photograph of a teacher standing in a white lab coat, speaking with a class of children in a laboratory, is superimposed on a colourful background. Text reads "Teach Chemistry means support for classroom and staff room".

Register for Teach Chemistry for free, unlimited access

Registration is open to all teachers and technicians at secondary schools, colleges and teacher training institutions in the UK and Ireland.

Get all this, plus much more:

  • unlimited access to resources, core practical videos and Education in Chemistry articles
  • teacher well-being toolkit, personal development resources and online assessments
  • applications for funding to support your lessons

Already a Teach Chemistry member? Sign in now.

Not eligible for Teach Chemistry? Sign up for a personal account instead, or you can also access all our resources with Royal Society of Chemistry membership.